BL Ch33

Du Shuyan jumped out of his seat, scared out of his wits, “Duqiu, don’t joke like that!”

Fei Zheng also showed a tense expression, as if facing a great enemy, “Mr. Yu, let’s talk this through.”

On the other hand, the Yu family seemed calm, as if they were watching a movie where they already knew the ending. Zhou Yi kindly whispered to the newcomer Bai Zhao, “Don’t intervene, just watch. The young master won’t hurt Miss Du.”

Bai Zhao glanced sideways, “Why would I intervene? Let him do as he pleases; I know exactly where his limits are.”

Zhou Yi: “…”

The tone of someone who knows everything—why does it feel like I’m the newcomer here?

The blade didn’t even scratch her skin, but Du Lingya was already pale with fright, her carefully applied makeup now mostly ruined by tears, her face full of fear. She forced herself to say, “I-I could die for you… but if I die, you’ll just find someone else, right?”

“Good question.” Yu Duqiu, holding her throat in the manner of a kidnapper, turned his head and asked, “Xiaobai, didn’t you think of that last night?”

Bai Zhao, with a cold expression, responded, “I’d already be dead; why would I care who you’re with after? Besides, if I did die last night, you’d never forget me for the rest of your life—that’s not bad either.”

No one present knew what had happened between the two of them last night, and their gazes shifted back and forth as if they were watching two lunatics.

Hong Liangzhang lightly coughed, “Young people… You shouldn’t talk about life and death so lightly, it’s bad luck…”

Yu Duqiu laughed heartily, flipped the blade in his hand so the sharp edge was facing outward, and released Du Lingya, “Do you see the difference, Lingya? Both of you crave my attention. You chose to harm me, while he chose to harm himself. You keep saying you love me, but even when it comes to dying for me, you have so many reservations. This kind of ‘love’ is too shallow; it doesn’t move me.”

Bai Zhao suddenly asked, “So, does that mean I’ve moved you?”

Yu Duqiu shot him a cold glance, “Shut up, I didn’t ask you to speak.”

Bai Zhao smiled, “Yes, sir, young master.”

Du Lingya, overwhelmed by fear and sorrow, couldn’t stop crying, “He doesn’t truly care about you… he’s just pretending… You’ve only known each other for a short while, and he’s already trying so hard to please you—he must have some ulterior motive!”

“Who said that? Was it Peizhuo again?” Yu Duqiu gently wiped away the tears from her face, “I suspected it at the horse track last time. Who told you Bai Zhao was my new lover? And who encouraged you to confront and punish him? Other than Peizhuo, no one else would be so eager to drive a wedge between us.”

Du Lingya frantically shook her head, her hair sticking to her tear-streaked face in a mess, “It doesn’t matter who told me, I did it for your own good. He looks so untrustworthy; he’ll definitely betray you in the future!”

In the monitoring room, Ji Lin frowned, “Even now, Du Lingya still refuses to mention Peizhuo’s name. Could it be that they really have something going on? But that doesn’t seem likely…”

Lu Qing, unconcerned, said, “Maybe she’s just thinking of their childhood friendship. Anyway, whether she says it or not, it’s obvious that Peizhuo was the one who gave her the earrings and tried to sow discord. Should I go ask Old Peng for permission to bring Peizhuo in for questioning?”

“Sounds good.”

As Lu Qing left the monitoring room, Ji Lin leaned back in his chair, lost in thought—

Last month, while investigating the Yu Wencheng case at the Junyue Hotel, he had a brief encounter with Peizhuo. At that time, Peizhuo’s panicked behavior wasn’t faked. Moreover, when he found out that the hotel was locked down, Peizhuo called his brother for help right in front of Ji Lin, asking him to use connections to get him out or send someone to the U.S. to handle business for him, completely disregarding the fact that the police officer who issued the lockdown order was standing right there.

In short, Peizhuo was a typical “mama’s boy” with some of the common flaws of the rich: arrogance and self-importance. His execution ability and psychological resilience were also lacking—such an important business deal and yet he didn’t have a plan B. When something went wrong, he could only retreat, and it was Yu Duqiu who lent him a private plane so he could make it to his destination on time, only for the business deal to be easily ruined by Yu Duqiu.

Ji Lin didn’t believe that such a mediocre rich kid could come up with a plan as devious as poisoning someone with hidden toxins like that.

Moreover, according to Mrs. Brown, the ruby earrings were incredibly expensive. Giving them to Du Lingya as compensation made the cost of the crime too high. This suggests that Peizhuo genuinely liked Du Lingya and gave her the jewelry with sincerity. But who would push the person they liked into the arms of a rival? If Du Lingya had succeeded, she could have accompanied and cared for Yu Duqiu, potentially deepening their relationship. Why would Peizhuo willingly do something so foolish and thankless? Most likely, he told sweet lies to deceive Du Lingya, making her believe that the small scheme was harmless and wouldn’t really hurt Yu Duqiu, but that wasn’t necessarily the case.

If Yu Duqiu hadn’t seen through Dong Yongliang’s methods and had consumed the hidden toxin, he would have soon become weak and lethargic. However, the toxin’s potency was far less than that of real poisons, and the symptoms of poisoning were very mild. Others might not have realized that something was wrong with the food and might have assumed Yu Duqiu was just feeling unwell or airsick. In that case, Du Lingya would have had a legitimate reason to send her fiancé to rest at a hotel.

She would have thought her plan had succeeded, but in reality, it would have made things easier for the assassin waiting in the parking lot. A weakened Yu Duqiu might not have survived that near-fatal encounter.

If he had been shot, the police would likely have focused on finding the shooter and wouldn’t have investigated the cause of his “airsickness.” Du Lingya might have felt guilty, but she wouldn’t have known that the person who hired the assassin was the same one who had encouraged her to poison Yu Duqiu.

This level of meticulous and sinister planning was far beyond Peizhuo’s capabilities.

Ji Lin stroked his chin, picked up a pen, and drew an arrow from Peizhuo’s name in his notebook, pointing it toward another person with the same surname. He also put an “X” over Du Lingya’s name.

She had been an accomplice from the start, almost killing the man she loved, and still didn’t understand the truth, believing herself to be forgivable—how foolish.

But it was probably this very foolishness that spared her from more serious charges. Judging by Yu Duqiu’s attitude toward Dong Yongliang, he likely wouldn’t pursue the matter further.

Sure enough, Yu Duqiu didn’t reveal the truth. He continued from where she left off, “Have there been few people who have betrayed me? At least Bai Zhao is currently willing to risk his life for me. He’s fulfilling his duties as a bodyguard perfectly, and I have no reason to dismiss him.”

Du Lingya, seeing that he was not swayed by her well-intentioned advice and was resolute, turned even paler, “Duqiu… Is there really no way to turn this around?”

Yu Duqiu gently shook his head, put the necklace back in his pocket, and for the first and last time, stroked her smooth, long hair. “In life, everyone goes through a few regrets that leave deep scars in their hearts. It takes time to heal, but I believe that one day, you’ll be able to move past this, Miss Du.”

Over a decade of close familiarity shattered completely with that distant “Miss Du.”

Du Lingya ended up crying as she got into the car.

Du Shuyan closed the back door and hesitantly said, “Duqiu, although I was the one who suggested breaking off the engagement, I didn’t mean that our families should cut ties completely. I still think of you as a brother.”

Yu Duqiu smiled and nodded. “Of course, I also think of you as a brother and Lingya as a sister. However, this incident has been quite a blow to Lingya, so I’d rather not show up in front of her for a while. Please take good care of her, Brother Shuyan. When she’s moved on, whether she falls in love or marries someone else, even if it’s Peizhuo, I’ll definitely send my blessings.”

Du Shuyan let out a sigh of relief. If he didn’t even mind that, then it surely wouldn’t affect the business relations between the two families.

“There’s one more thing I’d like to ask of you… I feel embarrassed to bring this up, but Aya is deeply regretful of what she did, and I can assure you she won’t trouble you again. Could you see fit not to press charges?”

“Brother Shuyan, what are you saying? I’m not so heartless that I’d send Lingya to jail over something like this.”

Du Shuyan quickly expressed his gratitude and didn’t dwell on Yu Duqiu’s earlier, more extreme behavior that resembled a kidnapper’s. He got into the car and took his sister home. The others stood at the entrance, watching them disappear behind the automatic closing iron gates in the distance.

“See? Power and money can destroy humanity and familial bonds,” Yu Duqiu remarked as he turned to the people behind him. “Humans are so filthy. Let’s go see my pure animals and cleanse our souls.”

“……..”

On the colorful brick pavement in front of the annex, a dog trainer was giving two Dobermans a bath. Cool droplets of water glistened under the mid-June sun, refreshing and crystal clear. Zhou Yangguo watched from the side, occasionally reaching out to pet the impressive dogs, only to quickly pull back for fear of being bitten.

Lou Baoguo, who had just woken up from a heavy sleep, was playing with Zhou Yangguo and teased her for being timid. “Don’t be afraid, they don’t bite. Just throw them a bone and pet them as much as you like. They don’t seem like proper dogs.”

The two dogs seemed to understand, barking simultaneously at Lou Baoguo, startling Zhou Yangguo so much that she took two steps back and fell to the ground with a loud “Ow!”

Lou Baoguo hurried to help her up. “Did you hurt yourself, Xiaoguo?”

“Why did you have to provoke the dogs?!” her father, Zhou Yi, scolded as he rushed over.

“How was I supposed to know they’d be so sensitive?!”

“Woof! Woof! Woof!”

“Stop barking!!”

The scene became chaotic for a while. Hong Liangzhang went over to help the dog trainer calm the situation. The two Dobermans growled softly, eventually calming down, lifting their proud heads, and continuing to enjoy their spa treatment.

Yu Duqiu laughed for a moment, then said, “You’re a lot like those two dogs.”

Bai Zhao raised an eyebrow in annoyance.

“No, you’re even more interesting than they are.” Yu Duqiu glanced at him with a smug look, as if he had just given him a compliment.

Bai Zhao wasn’t interested in comparing himself to dogs, so he asked, “Why did you name them that?”

“You mean Black Cat and Chief?”

“Yeah.”

“Because when I was a kid and had to take time off school to stay in the hospital, I had nothing to do but watch cartoons all day. I particularly hated Black Cat Detective. Well, actually, I hated all police back then, so I treat them like my dogs, scolding and ordering them around. It was quite satisfying.” Yu Duqiu laughed. “Do you think I was bad even as a kid?”

Bai Zhao smiled slightly. “No, I think it’s a very cute thought.”

Yu Duqiu was taken aback, then rubbed his arms as if he couldn’t stand it. “Sometimes the things you say really make my skin crawl.”

Bai Zhao didn’t mind and looked past the group of people around the dogs, his gaze falling on the stable being built next to the kennel. “What do you plan to name the white horse at the stables?”

“I haven’t decided yet.” Yu Duqiu followed his gaze and stared quietly for a moment before saying, “I might not bring it home. I haven’t ridden in years. It was Lingya who liked it; she never forgot how I looked like a prince on a white horse during our high school equestrian class.”

Bai Zhao looked at him. “You also remember everything she likes.”

Yu Duqiu smiled. “I know what you’re implying. I don’t love her, but she was my fiancée. If I can’t give her love, I should at least give her something else, like fulfilling her fantasies.”

“And like not telling her the truth.” Bai Zhao’s gaze was clear. “She doesn’t know she was an accomplice, doesn’t know you nearly died, and even thinks she did nothing wrong. You’re just going to let her live with the comfort of blaming you for being heartless?”

“What else should I do? Let her learn the truth and regret it for the rest of her life?” Yu Duqiu asked in return. “Resentment fades over time, and besides, her resentment can’t hurt me. But remorse doesn’t fade, especially for an irreparable mistake. It can torment someone for a lifetime. She doesn’t deserve that.”

Bai Zhao stared at him for a while, then suddenly chuckled. “Alright, you’re the one who forgives everyone. But when are you going to forgive yourself?”

Yu Duqiu glanced at him curiously. “I’m a materialist. Stop talking to me about all this spiritual stuff.”

“Then let’s talk about something more practical.” Bai Zhao suddenly leaned in, his shoulder touching Yu Duqiu’s. “I also like watching you ride. Can you ride for me?”

“Come on, you’ve never even seen me ride.” Yu Duqiu took half a step away, distancing himself from the overwhelming male hormones coming his way. “This morning, I cut ties with two people I’ve known for over ten years. I’m not in the mood to start a new relationship right now.”

“I can wait.”

“Lingya waited for me for so many years and still didn’t get what she wanted. Don’t be overly confident.” Yu Duqiu shoved his hands into his pockets. “People keep hoping I’ll change, but I’m a natural-born jerk. Honestly, the little mistakes Lingya made pale in comparison to how I’ve neglected and ignored her all these years. I was the one who deserved to be dumped. Even if this incident hadn’t happened, I would’ve found a reason to break up with her sooner or later.”

“Then why did you agree to be with her in the first place?”

“Isn’t that just how people are? They won’t give up until they’ve hit a dead end. If I didn’t let her be with me, she’d think I never gave her a chance and keep obsessing over it. So, I let her try once, let her realize that my flaws are deep-rooted. When she eventually wakes up, she’ll slowly figure out that I’m a scumbag and won’t cling to me anymore.”

Bai Zhao said seriously, “You really had her best interests at heart.”

Yu Duqiu laughed, “You actually believe that?”

“…”

“What I just said is only part of the reason. The main reason is that she deceived me. Didn’t I already tell you I’m a bastard? How could you easily believe a bastard’s words? You’re still young, too naive. No wonder you even get nervous about a kiss.”

“With more practice, it won’t be so nerve-wracking.” Bai Zhao looked at him steadily, pressing his dry lips together.

His intentions were clear.

Yu Duqiu squinted his eyes, “What’s the point of kissing without going to bed? It’s just swapping spit, isn’t that disgusting? If you keep playing this innocent game with me, I’ll have to find someone else to satisfy my cravings.”

“You’re single now. Until I win you over, you’re not allowed to find anyone else.”

“Don’t you think that’s unreasonable?”

“If I were reasonable, would I be chasing after you?”

…That actually made some sense.

“Promise me.”

“Promise what? Are you proposing?” Yu Duqiu moved closer with a grin, as if to kiss him, but when there was only a centimeter left between their noses, he patted Bai Zhao’s cheek and quickly pulled back. “Stop dreaming, darling. Even if you were willing to set yourself on fire for me, you still wouldn’t be able to control me.”

Bai Zhao reached out to grab him but caught only air. He took a step forward to chase, but Yu Duqiu snapped his fingers, and out of nowhere, two burly men appeared, blocking his way.

Yu Duqiu happily returned to the bedroom and made up for the sleep he had been missing over the past few days.

The warm early summer breeze swept across the lawn, the greenery, and the garden blooming with various flowers.

A new batch of flowers had just been planted in the soil after being flown in, and near the main building, a bright red poppy swayed conspicuously in the wind.

Suddenly, a gust of wind blew by, and the flower’s head was severed as if by a guillotine, its stem and leaves snapping off and falling into the freshly watered, moist soil, rolling over a few times in the wind.

The bright petals became stained with dirt, their elegance lost. The fallen beauty lay quietly under the sunlight, waiting to rot.